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- Title
Food consumption and working conditions in manual sugarcane harvesting in Sao Paulo state.
- Authors
Luz, Verônica Gronau; Oikawa Zangirolani, Lia Thieme; de Gouveia Vilela, Rodolfo Andrade; Corrêa-Filho, Heleno Rodrigues
- Abstract
Objective: To describe the working conditions and aspects related with food consumption amongst manual workers in sugar-cane crops intending to contribute to developing public policies towards workers' health surveillance and delivering comprehensive services. Methods: Direct observation at the work field in upstate São Paulo and a semistructured questionnaire were conducted with a group of forty sugar-cane migrant workers who came from Ceará state to work as hand harvesters in São Paulo state, over 15 days during the 2007/2008 crop season. Socio-demographic data, water consumption, food consumption and cultural habits, hydroelectrolyte reposition, work pauses, body pains and duration of working days were registered. Results: Workers ingested 5 to 10 liters of water/day and the dilution of electrolytes replacement was below the adequate recommendations. Food consumptions during the crop season did not ensure food and nutritional security. Food consumption was monotonous, conserved and consumed at inadequate temperature, and incompatible with cultural habits, implying reduction and wastage of food. Workers reported pains and cramps during the work day. Pauses for resting were insufficient. Payment by results, the working process and payment practices were taken as determinants of a wide range of precarious conditions to which these workers were subjected. The hand harvesting of sugar-cane is extenuating and the payment by results may be a grievance for health as it implies reducing the work resting pauses. Food consumption and adequate hydration could minimize the working wear and pains during the job.
- Subjects
BRAZIL; FOOD consumption; WORK environment research; SUGARCANE harvesting; SUGARCANE; CROP yields; PLANT yields; LABOR supply
- Publication
Saúde e Sociedade, 2014, Vol 23, Issue 4, p60
- ISSN
0104-1290
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1590/S0104-12902014000400016